Build Your First Chevy Project Car - Build Your First Bow Tie

Tips And Tricks To Make Your First Project Car A Success.

When it comes to car guys, pretty much everybody has a project. It provides something to work on during the evenings, and gives us something to talk about with fellow car guys. Let's just say it's healthy to have a project car of some sort to keep your mind occupied. Of course, some folks get carried away and take on too many projects at once. This usually results in very little progress because the efforts get spread so thin. It's hard to find a happy medium, but purchasing a complete running and driving car that simply needs minor updates is a step in the right direction for a beginner. In fact, you'll probably save money with this approach, even if you're a seasoned gearhead.

2/16

Building your first Chevy will be a challenge, no matter the car's condition, but that's part of the fun. However, a car that presents too much of a challenge can quickly suck the fun right out of the equation, and give you more headaches down the road. For instance, buying a car just because it's cheap only makes sense if the car is buildable. And if you take a step backward and learn what the term "buildable" means for you, your skill level and budget, then you're more educated than most buyers in this market.

Sit down and crunch the numbers to see exactly how much you want to spend, and base the build around that. Some of the cars you see in Super Chevy are extravagant and wicked fast, but you must consider the dollar amounts and man hours involved with each project. Your first Bow Tie build needs to be simple. It always helps if you can stick to a budget, so lay out the groundwork before you go all in on a project car.

3/16

If you're looking for a starting point, searching the internet on sites like www.autotraderclassics.com isn't a bad way to start. There are lots of good deals out there right now, especially on cars that are outdated, or need some work to be road worthy. Beware of deals that are too good to be true, because there are a lot of those on the Net. And don't forget about your local newspaper. It seems like an archaic way to list a car for sale these days, but plenty of people out there still use local print ads to get the word out. Finding a car locally makes for a simpler buying process, because you can physically look at the car without driving hundreds of miles or relying on cell phone pictures to determine its condition. Sometimes these cars have a bit of history among the local car guy ranks, and that's always cool.

Once you find the right car, it's a matter of doing what you can to make it better, whether it's complete or disassembled. If the car is a total basket case, then your best bet is to figure out the parts you need to order just to get it running. A key element to building your first Chevy is making it run and drive. This provides motivation to keep working, and certainly renews interest in a build that has fallen through the cracks over time. For any gearhead, firing an engine for the first time is a moment of many emotions, the two most prominent being excitement that it's actually running, and fear that it might fly apart. Again, challenges are part of a project car, and knowing how to handle them is a benefit of experience. Long-time car guys can give you more tips and tricks than we could ever fit in this article. Having an experienced friend to help along the way is always a good thing. Rarely does a car get built single-handedly, so don't hesitate to invite your buddies over for a garage night every once in a while. If you find it necessary, sweeten the deal with a few pizzas and plenty of cold drinks.

MORE PHOTOS

VIEW FULL GALLERY

xclose

Build Your First Chevy Project Car - Build Your First Bow Tie

Just because it's cheap doesn't mean you should buy it. While it's still possible to find old cars for dirt cheap, they usually look like this '59 El Camino, which was abandoned in a field. Finding the right car is a large part of your first buildup, so don't ruin the fun by purchasing too difficult a project.

A good way to get started in the hobby is to build a sleeper. These builds are generally affordable, because the point is to make the car look like it isn't fast. That means you don't have to spend lots of money on aftermarket wheels, slick paint, or a custom interior. A '70s Vega is a prime candidate.

Buying a car without an engine or transmission is a good way to keep the initial cost down. However, if you don't happen to have an engine lying around, it can end up costing more money in the long run. In the case of a first-time build, it's sometimes better to purchase a car that is already running and driving.

Who says your first Chevy build has to be an old car? The new Camaro is the perfect place to test the waters, but this probably isn't a great option for the enthusiast on a budget. However, used up '87-02 Camaros are fairly inexpensive, and provide a very good platform to build upon.

Building a classic Chevy gives you all sorts of options when it comes to front suspension. If you're not serious about shedding weight or carving corners, then you may not need to go all out on tubular suspension components. This '68 Camaro is a prime example of a clean and simple setup with the only modifications being drop spindles, drop coil springs, and a hefty sway bar.

A great first step to keeping your Chevy on the road is a strong rear end. If you plan on any kind of performance, whether it's on the street or at the track, your rear end needs to be built to withstand the power.

Wheels and tires play a large role in defining your car's purpose, and this is a good example of making an otherwise average red first-generation Camaro stand out from the crowd. Some people may not understand the mismatched wheels, but anyone with drag racing roots will love it.

Chevy enthusiasts have been drooling over the Rat motor since its introduction in the 1965 model year. It's a great way to make big power, but don't expect to get decent fuel mileage with it. A healthy big-block is still the ultimate Chevy mill, especially when it's mated to a four-speed transmission.

Old school Muncie and T-10/Super T-10 four-speeds are definitely fun, but low-geared muscle cars can sometimes use an overdrive to keep the engine from running hot or consuming too much fuel. Hurst Driveline Conversions modifies Tremec transmissions, like this TKO-600, to fit in classic muscle cars.

While the big-block is highly acclaimed, it's hard to beat the efficiency, horsepower potential, and weight of an LS-based engine. Swapping in a new engine means custom mounts, headers, and wiring harness to fit your platform, but it's usually worth it when you can make close to 400 hp in stock form.

Starting with a rusty car is never a good idea for a beginner, as it can turn you against old cars in general. However, if you're up to the task, companies like Auto Metal Direct, Goodmark, Danchuk, and Year One have all the panels you need to completely restore you car's body.

When it comes to building your first Chevy, many do not consider doing their own bodywork and paint. If you can tackle the job yourself, or with help from a friend, you'll save a ton of money. It's a dirty job and never easy, so weigh out the options, and work that into the budget either way.

Companies like CARS Inc., make reproduction interiors for all sorts of Chevy muscle cars, and that is the absolute best route to renew your car's upholstery. Custom interiors are nice, but for a first build, you should keep it simple, and a mostly stock interior is a great way to do it. Add a custom steering column or steering wheel, and maybe a new set of gauges, then hit the road!

Get a budget, a plan, and stick to them. With tons of elbow grease and perhaps some help from family and friends, you can possibly end up with a finished project like this. Remember: Don't get in over your head, either financially or from a talent level.

COMMENTS

related articles

Chevy High Performance tech article on finding a good project car and a list of some of the Chevy's we feel are currently under-priced but offer returns far in excess of what they're actually worth. Find all the details inside Chevy High Performance Magazine. » Read More